UN: `“Palestinian rights still violated in the Occupied Territories`

John Dugard, Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, reported that Israel is conducting major violations of Human rights in the Palestinian areas.

“Israel is still expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank”, Dugard said, “Construction of the Separation Wall is ongoing”.

“The Separation Wall and the settlements seriously undermine the fundamental right of self-determination of the Palestinian people upon which all other rights depend”, Dugard said.

“The Wall Israel is constructing in the West Bank will force 55 thousand Jerusalemite Palestinian residents out of Jerusalem”, Dugard stated, “additional 50 thousand Jerusalemites, living outside of Jerusalem will be separated from their city”.

There are 230.000 Palestinians living in the eastern side of Jerusalem, the Wall will Separate 40% and isolate them from the city.

Also, Dugard added that the Separation Wall and settlements are consequences of occupation, “the regime of occupation by definition causes violations on human rights”.

“Wall and settlements are setting the borders of the occupied territories”, Dugard added, “Israel is separating the Palestinian areas, blocking geographical contiguity, and expanding it settlements in the West Bank”.

Dugard also said that there are 8000 Palestinian detainees in Israeli detention facilities and camps, “they are treatment which falls below the internationally accepted standards”.

The Rapporteur added that the Palestinian freedom of movement is restricted and undermined by 600 Israeli military checkpoints throughout the Palestinian occupied territories.

Dugard categorized a section in his report to report on violation of social and economic rights of the Palestinians, saying that a quarter of the Palestinian people are unemployed, and that half of the Palestinian people lived below poverty line.

“Health, education and water services are mostly affected by the occupation”, Dugard stated, “Housing remains a huge problem especially amidst the Israeli police of house demolitions”.

Referring to the Palestinian side, the UN report noted that five Palestinian prisoners were executed by the Palestinian Authority in 2005.  

The format of the yearly report was set out by resolutions 1993/2 A and 2005/7 of the Commission of Human Rights.